Alma Girl

Popularity: #409 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: AL-muh /ˈæl.mə/

Origin: Latin; Hebrew

Meaning: Latin: nourishing; Hebrew: soul

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Alma has its roots in Latin, derived from the word "almus," which means "nourishing" or "kind." This Latin term evolved into various forms in different languages, eventually making its way into English. The name was adopted into Old French as "alme," which carried similar meanings, and from there, it entered the English lexicon.

The earliest recorded use of Alma in English can be traced back to the 19th century, although its usage has been influenced by earlier Latin and French forms. Historically, the name Alma has been associated with significant cultural and religious figures.

In Christian tradition, Alma is recognized as a biblical figure in the Book of Mormon, which was published in the early 19th century. This text, considered sacred by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, features Alma as a prophet and leader, contributing to the name's religious significance.

The name also appears in various literary works, including those of the Romantic period, where it was often used to evoke themes of nurturing and kindness, aligning with its etymological roots. Culturally, Alma has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing qualities such as compassion and care.

The name has been used in literature and music, further embedding it in cultural consciousness. In some traditions, diminutive forms like "Al" have emerged, though Alma itself remains the primary form.

The name's enduring appeal can be attributed to its positive connotations and historical associations, which resonate across different cultures and eras.

Famous people named Alma

In this section, you will find notable people named Alma. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Alma who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Alma who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Alma Mahler is a composer and socialite best known for her marriages to Gustav Mahler and Franz Werfel.

Alma Thomas is an artist best known for her vibrant abstract paintings and being a key figure in the Washington Color School.

Fictional characters named Alma

The following list of fictional characters named Alma is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Alma Wade is a fictional character from the video game series F.E.A.R. She is a powerful and malevolent psychic entity central to the game's horror narrative.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Alma, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EliNoahIsaacLeviAsherMicah

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Alma. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

AldenAlvinAlaricAlistairAvery

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Alma was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Alma has ranked as high as #126 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in Texas, California, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Alma has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Alma is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Alma was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Alma.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 696 7 689
2024 669 10 659
2023 671 5 666
2022 658 0 658
2021 619 6 613
2020 529 5 524
2019 491 0 491
2018 463 5 458
2017 466 11 455
2016 400 8 392
2015 426 9 417
2014 421 0 421
2013 410 8 402
2012 319 6 313
2011 304 6 298
2010 318 0 318
2009 354 5 349
2008 375 6 369
2007 420 5 415
2006 485 10 475
2005 481 0 481
2004 462 9 453
2003 429 8 421
2002 522 7 515
2001 538 11 527
2000 556 8 548
1999 543 11 532
1998 542 15 527
1997 543 7 536
1996 577 11 566
1995 593 10 583
1994 605 19 586
1993 656 11 645
1992 713 11 702
1991 686 18 668
1990 700 15 685
1989 639 24 615
1988 527 16 511
1987 505 13 492
1986 530 9 521
1985 563 14 549
1984 546 16 530
1983 539 17 522
1982 621 18 603
1981 702 15 687
1980 678 20 658
1979 601 22 579
1978 524 11 513
1977 584 20 564
1976 593 13 580
1975 541 21 520
1974 614 19 595
1973 565 10 555
1972 576 8 568
1971 584 0 584
1970 546 12 534
1969 517 7 510
1968 549 6 543
1967 615 11 604
1966 607 8 599
1965 566 15 551
1964 626 10 616
1963 679 9 670
1962 726 13 713
1961 800 12 788
1960 796 8 788
1959 829 15 814
1958 771 5 766
1957 995 12 983
1956 955 7 948
1955 977 14 963
1954 1,027 14 1,013
1953 1,103 15 1,088
1952 1,042 13 1,029
1951 999 18 981
1950 1,059 7 1,052
1949 1,063 9 1,054
1948 1,177 17 1,160
1947 1,197 13 1,184
1946 1,187 17 1,170
1945 1,090 9 1,081
1944 1,237 20 1,217
1943 1,347 11 1,336
1942 1,427 20 1,407
1941 1,389 25 1,364
1940 1,437 9 1,428
1939 1,519 23 1,496
1938 1,592 34 1,558
1937 1,646 20 1,626
1936 1,633 23 1,610
1935 1,709 30 1,679
1934 1,925 22 1,903
1933 1,864 25 1,839
1932 2,082 37 2,045
1931 2,152 37 2,115
1930 2,409 29 2,380
1929 2,422 33 2,389
1928 2,523 27 2,496
1927 2,883 36 2,847
1926 3,021 31 2,990
1925 3,028 32 2,996
1924 3,270 30 3,240
1923 3,093 23 3,070
1922 3,266 33 3,233
1921 3,630 41 3,589
1920 3,623 39 3,584
1919 3,485 47 3,438
1918 3,702 52 3,650
1917 3,447 40 3,407
1916 3,450 47 3,403
1915 3,288 40 3,248
1914 2,682 34 2,648
1913 2,334 37 2,297
1912 2,207 24 2,183
1911 1,625 14 1,611
1910 1,639 9 1,630
1909 1,392 17 1,375
1908 1,488 14 1,474
1907 1,357 10 1,347
1906 1,278 12 1,266
1905 1,343 10 1,333
1904 1,264 7 1,257
1903 1,252 8 1,244
1902 1,237 8 1,229
1901 1,208 13 1,195
1900 1,385 13 1,372
1899 1,155 9 1,146
1898 1,309 10 1,299
1897 1,220 7 1,213
1896 1,261 18 1,243
1895 1,160 16 1,144
1894 1,182 5 1,177
1893 1,065 10 1,055
1892 1,068 12 1,056
1891 942 13 929
1890 933 11 922
1889 832 13 819
1888 864 11 853
1887 633 10 623
1886 608 5 603
1885 525 10 515
1884 480 0 480
1883 369 10 359
1882 378 10 368
1881 307 14 293
1880 291 14 277

Top States for Alma (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 92
15%
TX 85
14%
FL 63
10%
NY 50
8%
IL 22
4%
MN 22
4%
WA 18
3%
NC 17
3%
NJ 17
3%
OR 17
3%
GA 16
3%
AZ 16
3%
MA 16
3%
OH 16
3%
PA 15
2%
VA 15
2%
MI 13
2%
CO 12
2%
WI 12
2%
KY 10
2%
IN 9
1%
MD 9
1%
NE 7
1%
CT 7
1%
OK 7
1%
MO 6
1%
AR 6
1%
LA 6
1%
UT 6
1%
AL 5
1%
SC 5
1%
TN 5
1%